1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to card edge connectors, more particularly to card edge connectors with an improved retainer.
2. Description of Related Art
Card edge connectors are employed widely in computers to receive a memory card, graphic card, network interface card et al. The card edge connectors usually have an elongated housing, a plurality of contacts retained in the housing for electrically connecting a corresponding mating card, and at least a retainer at one end thereof for locking the mating card. The housing has a pair of side walls and a central slot between the side walls for receiving the mating card. The retainer is integrally extending outwardly from one end of the housing along a length direction. The retainer has a retention arm extending along the length direction of the housing, and a projection extending inwardly from the operating portion along a width direction for locking the mating card. The retention arm can move along a width direction for locking or withdrawing the mating card.
The housing further has a rigid stop arm extending along the length direction and located at an outside of the retention arm. The stop arm and retention arm defines a gap therebetween for allowing the deflection of the retention arm, and the stop arm serves to limit the deflection of said retention arm. Besides, the retention arm and the stop arm diverge with respect to each other whereby the is increased in the width direction for supplying a deflection space to the retention arm.
However, the retention arm and the stop arm extend along the length direction of the housing, which make all retention arm and stop arm be flexible, then the stop arm also can deflect outwardly along the width direction. Therefore, the stop arm can not effectively limit the deflection of the retention arm, and the retention arm is easily broke off when the retention arm is further deformed via a deflection of the stop arm.
Hence, an improved card edge connector is desired to overcome the above problems.